Things Always Work Out! (Gordon B. Hinckley)

I sure love this man - Gordon B. Hinckley....His council was always so accurate for what I would be going through. I miss getting to hear from him on a regular basis. So grateful to have had his influence in my life. He helped me to want to stand a little taller.

"You just have to do your very best with all the capability you have. You have to do your very best. And somehow, if you do that, God will open the way before you and the sun will shine, and your lives will be fruitful and you will accomplish great good in the world in which you take a part. I couldn't wish for you anything better as I look into your faces this day."  (Gordon B. Hinckley - Dedication of the Gordon B. Hinckley Building @ BYU-Idaho)

YW Camp is coming!!!

Here I am sitting down for one of the first times today.  Super tired, but feeling excited about YW camp coming up. 

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about - our church holds a week-long camp for the Young Women in our church every summer.  It is a time for the girls to bond with each other, learn camping and survival skills, be spiritually uplifted and edified and have a lot of fun.  It's a highlight for the summer and a life changing experience.

This year I get to attend not only as the Young Woman president in my ward, but also as a member of the "Crafty Queens".  Myself and a few other leaders will be in charge of providing crafts for the approximately 200 young women.  There is so much preparation involved but these girls are worth it!

Our camp theme this year stems from President Deiter Uchtdorf's talk "Your Happily Ever After" that I mentioned in my last post.  I saw a couple of these quotes online tonight on this website and thought they were pretty, and applied to what we're teaching these awesome girls this next week.

President Ucthdorf - an amazing example!

The theme for YW camp this year is based off of the talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled "Your Happily Ever After".  I got online to purchase the book and I was so happy to find that the Kindle Edition is actually FREE!!!  I was so excited to find a message that I love and want to share to be available to everyone who has access to a Kindle (or Kindle app).  So click HERE and you can get it for free at the Amazon store.

Then I looked and another one of his wonderful talks that has been turned into a beautiful book is also available for FREE on the Kindle - "Forget Me Not": 

I am so grateful for inspired and strong men like President Uchtdorf that we have leading and guiding our church and helping to remind us of the truthfulness of the gospel.  His messages always leave me with a feeling of hope, unconditional love, and a desire to reach out and do better.  I hope you'll enjoy these books and messages as much as I do!

Young Women - "Be an Example of the Believers"

Today I got to teach the Young Women lesson at church.  It was about being good examples. I feel like the YW in my ward are fantastic examples to people around them, and I am in awe of their strength and examples to me and the other youth they encounter.  I love that!

I feel so blessed to get to work with the Young Women through my new calling.  I am overwhelmed by all there is to do with the program, personal progress, temple trips, girls camp, activities, lessons and the list goes on and on.  But under all of those feelings of being overwhelmed I feel so much love for the girls.  I feel sad when I don't see them at activities or at church, and I feel so happy to see them make good choices!  In fact when I left our class activity this past Tuesday night I left the church FILLED with gratitude for the girls and just loving each of them more than ever.  It wasn't anything amazing that we did, but I felt like I was able to connect in little ways with all of the girls.  It takes slow steps to get to know them and become friends.  I am looking forward to what we accomplish as a presidency and what we see the girls learn. 

I'm also grateful for a Heavenly Father who has a faith and a trust in me that I don't always see in myself.  I am grateful for His plan and the callings within our church that help me to become more of the person He wants me to be.  I'm grateful for a YW program that allows the girls to set goals, make plans for a temple marriage, and hopefully teaches them that they are women of great worth.  I know that my leaders quite literally changed my life, and their examples are ones I still look to for examples of extrordianry women who follow the gospel and inspire me.  That is why I think the YW program is so important!  Often that I think back to YW lessons that taught me that I am a worthwhile daughter of God to remember that I'm still a "Daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love Him." It is because they helped me to develop that foundation of beliefs that I've been able to turn back to those things I know are true time and time again.

So I am going to work on posting every once in a while on my blog here about our YW activities, and a little more about what we're doing in our family.  I get pulled in a lot of different directions, but I feel like this is a place I can share a piece of my testimony with others and I hope to be able to do that a little more than I have been.

Have a great Sunday!

"I Know The Scriptures Are True"

This year in church the Primary theme was "I Know The Scriptures Are True".  I have LOVED listening to the things the boys have learned in Primary as they've listened to their teacher and leaders.  This has been Hunter's first year in Primary (he's a Sunbeam - the youngest group in Primary) and it has been amazing to hear him sing the songs, or repeat the things he learns in Primary.  He might look like he's not listening in class or sharing time, but he is!  I love hearing him repeat simple (and sometimes not-so-simple) gospel truths.

So today the kids presented their yearly program in Sacrament Meeting.  It's a meeting once a year where the kids in Primary share the songs and lessons they've learned through the year.  Every child generally will have a speaking part, interspersed throughout the music they've also learned.  It's a beautiful, touching meeting - one of my favorite of the year!  This year both boys had parts.  Gabe said, "I felt good when I went to visit the temple with my family."  Hunter's part was, "I am thankful to Heavenly Father for my 2 dogs."  My heart melted to hear them at the microphone and I loved the music!

But what was even more beautiful and special was what happened later - at home with our family.  The boys were given scripture marking pencils with a treat to tell them "good job" on the program.  They wanted to mark a couple scriptures in their own Book of Mormons.  I tried to explain that we didn't just mark up our scriptures, but we purposefully chose scriptures to underline - scriptures that were important to us.  Gabe said, "But Mom, I have a scripture that's special to me - we read about it when Nephi needed to get the plates from Laban and he said, 'I will go and do what you asked me to do.'"  So he brought me his Book of Mormon and we opened it to the scripture in 1st Nephi 3:7:

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

I had pointed to the verse and Gabe started reading it.  He got about 2/3 the way through the verse (reading 95% of the words on his own) and said, "MOM!  I'M READING THE SCRIPTURES!!!"  His eyes lit up and he was excited that his reading was coming in handy and HE was doing the reading this time around.  He was thrilled and wanted to call Nana and Papa on the webcam to read his new favorite scripture to them too.  It gave me goosebumps and my eyes filled with tears - my little guy was reading, he was reading the scriptures, and he was excited about it! It was one of the moments that made it all worth it.

So I said to he and Hunter, "It's great to be able to read the scriptures, and then after you've read the Book of Mormon for yourself you can pray about it and find out for yourself if it's true." Gabe said, "But Mom, why would we need to do that?  We already KNOW that the sciprtures are true."  I explained that it's important for us to each know for ourselves if something is true and we can pray to find out for ourselves.  Gabe said, "Yeah, but I already KNOW myself!"  Then Hunter chimed in and said, "Yeah Mom, just like in the song we sing in Primary - 'I KNOW The Scriptures Are True'!"  They were both so adamant that they already knew for themselves that the gospel and scriptures are true. 

What a proud and humbling parenting moment.  Looking at those boys and their undeniable faith and knowledge that the scriptures are true humbled me.  If they had no doubt in their sweet minds, then I as their mother need to be sure that my faith is unshakable and firm as ever.  Now I know that my job is not done, and that there will be opprotunities all along my parenting journey to instill gospel truths and testimony building opprotunities - but it felt so good to know that their foundation we're helping them build was founded on a belief that the scriptures are true.  I know that foundations like that will bless their lives, and many more in the years to come.  I sure do love those boys and their sweet testimonies!

General Conference

This weekend is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's semi-annual General Conference.  Already I'm feeling uplifted, inspired and blessed.  LOVE the church leaders and their timely messages for everyone!  You can watch here - check it out!!!

You Are Not Forgotten!

This talk is by far one of my favorite talks EVER! I love President Uctdorf anyway, but this talk just seemed too perfect - like he really understood the women of the church. Like he really understood ME. I felt the love of my Heavenly Father as I've listened and re-listened to the message. What a beautiful talk, what a beautiful reminder for us as women!

http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/10?lang=eng&vid=1180453706001&cid=7

Please take a few minutes to listen to it if you haven't....and if you have - listen again - it's still awesome!

I also really enjoyed Stacy Julian's recap on the talk. Check out what she had to say about it too.

Law of Chastity FHE Lessons

I have been working on my Relief Society Lesson for this month - Lesson #39 - The Law of Chastity.  Here are some links that I'm sharing that go along with the theme that can help families teach these same principles in Family Home Evening:

•  LDS FHE Lesson Manual - Chastity:  http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=4049be335dc20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=198bf4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD
• Procreation and Chastity:  http://lds.org/hf/library/1,16866,4266-1,00.html?LibraryURL=/lds/hf/display
• Our Sacred bodies – Chastity, Modesty, and Morality:  http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/family-home-evening-lesson-our-sacred-bodies-chastity-modesty-and-morality/
• Our Bodies are Sacred:  http://ayearoffhe.blogspot.com/search/label/Modesty
• Young Women Value - Integrity - https://lds.org/young-women/personal-progress/virtue?lang=eng
• Talk:  Guardians of Virtue - http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guardians-of-virtue?lang=eng
• A Parent's Guide (this is an excellent guide to teaching our children at all different ages):  http://lds.org/manual/a-parents-guide?lang=eng
   

This lesson was very hard for me to prepare.  I literally spent most of the week - any chance I had to prepare for it. As I read our prophet's teachings, the scriptures, personal experiences and commandments the spirit whispered to me that THIS was vital.  This lesson and message - to keep our bodies clean and pure is of the utmost importance.  I MUST teach my children and prepare them for what Satan is going to throw their way.  I felt almost a heaviness and a scariness in that....but I know that I have a responsibilty to them.  I loved this quote I found in A Parent's Guide that changed the way I viewed what I am teaching my children:

"You are not simply caring for your children until they can leave home - you are training infinitely precious children of God to someday be worthy to receive all that the Father has."

(source- "A Parent’s Guide")

I also found a renewed energy in myself to live a virtuous and chaste life.  I have seen the blessings that come from following these commandments as well as the sorrow that results from not obeying the strictness of the law.  I've watched families and individuals fall away from truth as they've allowed Satan a place in their lives and his temptations into their hearts.  I loved the scriptures in the lesson that talked about how the Lord will not let us be tempted above that which we are able to handle.  He will prepare a way for us to escape if we will cling to the truth of the gospel.

I have a testimony of chaste and virtuous living.  I know that in living a life within these bounds that our marriages and families can prepare to be together through eternity and for that I am so grateful!

Family Responsibilities & FHE Lesson

I have the opportunity to teach Relief Society in my ward once a month.  I LOVE this calling!  After years and years in Primary and Young Women (which I also love) I was excited that once we moved to Texas I got called to be in the Relief Society!  I love getting to teach because it gives me an extra opprotunity to learn.  I know that each lesson has something important in it for me to learn specifically and I feel blessed to study and learn these things. 

This month's lesson I was assigned was Lesson #37 on Family Responsibility.  We played a little game (because I think I'm actually still a kid at heart) where we discussed different family responsibilities - the parents, mother, father, and children's responsibilities as members of the family.  I thought it was kind of fun :)

But as I learned more about the distinct roles of family members I was led over and over to the Family:  A Proclamation to the World.  How grateful I am for our inspired church leaders who knew we as church members - and ultimately the WORLD would need to understand the importance and sanctity of family.  Family is such a vital part of society and I am grateful to belong to a church that emphasizes this and teaches us the importance of it.  What a blessing!!

Here are a couple of Family Home Evening (FHE) Lessons that could be taught using the theme of the Family:

• I loved the idea of a YW activity that used a copy of the Proclamation and the YW values.  They had the YW color code their copy of the Proclamation using the YW value colors.  It really helps to reiterate to the YW that the values they learn each week are intertwined in all aspects of our lives.  You can find this activity here.
• Great lesson for a family with kids from the website: www.ayearoffhe.blogspot.com - Week 14:  A Proclamation to the World
• Lesson from Deseret Book about families.

And here are some GREAT resources for other FHE lesson ideas:

• The LDS Church's website - this site has wonderful resources and links to the church's material. Also, some great reminders of why FHE is important.
• A Year of Family Home Evening Lessons - WOW!  This site has AWESOME resources!  Each week there is a new lesson, great printables, great layout - LOVE this site!
• LDS Living - There are literally HUNDREDS of lessons on this website for FHE lessons - almost any topic you can imagine!
• Scriptures for Kids - This resource has simpilfied lessons.  I really liked the ones I found that related to the themes of the Primary each month.  A great way to reiterate what they're learning in Primary already.
• Living Scriptures FHE Lessons - This site has so many great lessons!!!  Most of the lessons have things from the Living Scriptures animated dvds/videos that you can relate - but the lessons have lots of other pertinent information in them.  Plus - a lot of them have exerpts from the videos online that you can use in the lessons!
• Living Scriptures Activity Books - If you have ever purchased dvd's or videos from Living Scriptures you might have also ordered their coloring or activity books. They have books that go along with the stories that the kids are learning to help strengthen the things the children are learning.  Well, they are now available online!  That's right - you can print out your own copies.  Simply create your own account (for free) on their website and you are elligible to download the books.  Then you download them as PDF files and you can print them for your own non-commercial use.  It's awesome!
• The Family Home Evening Spot
• LDS Splash
• Family Home Evening in a Snap
• 100+ Quick and Easy FHE Ideas

(**I have added the game to upload if you are interested.  Click HERE for the game board pieces and click HERE for the questions for the game.)

Tender Mercies: Simple Quotes From a Beautiful Woman

Don't we all love when our prayers are answered through the words of another?  There are times in life where my prayers have been answered through a scripture I'm lead to, through a call from a friend or reminder from another.  I've found answers in pages of books, through lessons at church, on the radio, and even whispered in my ear from the still small voice.  Today's answers came in the form of a reminder - a reminder of a quote I have always loved by one of my heroes - Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  A good friend shared this quote in our Relief Society lesson today and it was the answer I needed:

 “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." --Sister Marjorie Hinckley

As I went looking for the quote once I got home from church I was lead to a myriad of wonderful quotes she has shared over the years she was on earth.  As I re-read these gems I was reminded that right now I need to slow down and love my family.  I need to enjoy the time I have with my boys at this age, I need to cherish and treasure every moment.  In the particular challenge I had been longing to "fix" I was reminded that I need to "save the relationship" and not be filled with despair.  As I read her thoughts I felt a huge weight lifted and a reminder that I am good enough (you're good enough too!) and that I need to not be so hard on myself as a wife, mother and woman.  I need to try, and I need to move forwars with love in my heart.  I hope that some of these quotes can be a beautiful reminder to you as well. 

(These quotes were all found at this website.)
• "We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are."

• "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

• "Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst."

• "The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead. The grand and the simple. They are equally wonderful."

• "I know it is hard for you young mothers to believe that almost before you can turn around the children will be gone and you will be alone with your husband. You had better be sure you are developing the kind of love and friendship that will be delightful and enduring. Let the children learn from your attitude that he is important. Encourage him. Be kind. It is a rough world, and he, like everyone else, is fighting to survive. Be cheerful. Don't be a whiner."

• "Be a Mother who is committed to loving her children into standing on higher ground than the enviroment surrounding them. Mother's are endowed with a love that is unlike any other love on the face of the earth."

• "Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling."

• "We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young, and hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old...We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth."

• "There are some years in our lives that we would not want to live again. But even these years will pass away, and the lessons learned will be a future blessing."

• "The grand and the simple. They are equally wonderful."

• "Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, "We are here in mortality, and the only way to go is through; there isn't any around!" I would add, the only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."

• "The trouble with the world and the trouble with you and me is that we don't love each other enough. And if we do, we don't bother to show it, or we don't bother to say it. If the world is to know love, it has to be in your heart and in mine."

• "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

• "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow what a ride!"

• "Just Save the Relationship" - from the book Glimpses, Sis's Hinckley's advice to her grandaughter when she needed to know what to do about the fits her daughter was throwing. Just save the relationship."

• "True spirituality makes you loving and grateful, and forgiving, and patient, and gentle, and long-suffering. True spirituality breathes reverence into every act and deed."

• "As we got closer to marriage, I felt completely confident that Gordon loved me. But I also knew somehow that I would never come first with him. I knew I was going to be second in his life and that the Lord was going to be first. And that was okay. It seemed to me that if you understood the gospel and the purpose of our being here, you would want a husband who put the Lord first."

• "...the beautiful thing--perhaps the thing I love most about the gospel-- is that everything we learn we can use and take with us and use it again. No bit of knowledge goes wasted. Everything you are learning now is preparing you for something else. Did you know that? What a concept!"

• "As you create a home, don't get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think of your successes. Have joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband. Be grateful for the journey."

• "Develop some intellectual curiosity. If you have it, you will never be bored. If you haven't, cultivate it, hold fast to it. Never let it go. To the intellectually curious, the world will always be full of magic, full of wonder. You will be interesting to your friends, to your spouse, and a joy to your children. You will be alive to all the wonderful possibilities of this world."

• "Everything you are learning is preparing you for something else.”

Thank you Sister Hinckley for sharing your words of wisdom and advice.  I felt as if I had spent an afternoon being taught at the loving side of a grandmother or friend.  Thank you.

Perfect Thoughts!

You know when you read something that just fits exactly what you've been searching for? When you find a PERFECT answer in someone else's words? That's the case with this article I just read:

LDS.org - New Era Article - Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything

• Scripture One: We Know That God Loves His Children! (1 Nephi 11:17)
• Scripture Two: We Know That God Allows Evil to Exist in the World (Moses 7:26–33)
• Scripture Three: Our Work Is Not Finished! (Alma 14:13)
• Scripture Four: The Atonement Is Not Just for Sinners (Alma 7:11–12)
• Scripture Five: One Day, the Lord Will Reveal All Things (D&C 101:32–36)
• The Ultimate Answer - The Lord Is Over All

John Byetheway has always been one of my very favorite speakers. I loved hearing him at EFY when I was a kid. I've loved watching his Deseret Book video specials and I have always had fun listening to his books on tape - he's just awesome. But tonight as I read this article I wasn't impressed because of his witty-banter, or the silly way he performs - I was touched by the spirit. That happens frequently when listening to Brother Byetheway, but this time I was just so touched that some of the words I was searching for (both for myself and for some other people I'd been thinking about, praying for) were perfect for the situations. Guess that is another one of those tender mercies that we're so often blessed with.

So read the article - I promise you won't be disappointed!

LDS General Conference

Oh how I LOVE listening to General Conference!  I am in awe each time how relevant and poingant the messages are - as if some of them are written just for me!  I am so grateful that the spirit can speak to my heart and that I can connect with the words of our church leaders!

If any of you missed what was shared in conference this past weekend check back at this website where they will list when the transcripts and recordings are available.  I promise if you listen with an open heart and mind that the spirit can speak of the truth to your soul. 

Create

I don't know if I've ever shared this video message before....if not - check it out.  I LOVE everything about this video.  The message, the music, the images - most of all, the feeling that my heart feels.  I know that our Heavenly Father wants us to create - whether it be works of art, families, beautiful living spaces, friendships, love.....So don't listen to the critics that might keep you down.  Rely on the spirit and your capacity to create will grow!

A Saturday's Warrior Moment

This weekend I was lucky to attend our stake’s Relief Society Conference. They had events Friday evening and Saturday for several hours – including a nice dessert and fantastic lunch on Saturday. It was a great way to relax without kids, enjoy the sisterhood of Relief Society and feel the spirit and love of our Heavenly Father.


I had one particular thought as I was listening to a sweet sister from our ward speak. She was talking about our divine potential and the beautiful people we are. She talked about our Heavenly Father and who we were even before we came to earth. As she talked about the premortal existence I had a little flash to “Saturday’s Warrior”. Don’t laugh – I didn’t start singing, “I’ve think I’ve seen that face before….it seems we’ve talked like this before…..” But I did get to thinking about the relationships we have had before we came to earth.

Have you ever had a friendship that just came so naturally, just seemed like you must have known each other before….? I have had some really special friends in my life that just have felt like we’ve had an extra special place in each other’s lives. I remember my best friend growing up – Jana Huntington (Johnson now)’s mom used to always say she was sure we had been friends in the preexistence –I have to say I agree – it is an eternal friendship. (As are several other blessed friendships I have).

Anyway – as the speaker got to talking about promises we had made in the pre-existence with our Heavenly Father I got thinking about promises I may have made with friends and loved ones even before coming to earth. I wondered if there were relationships that included promises to be friends and watch out for each other on earth. I even went further into thinking about choices that we have made on earth that maybe were somewhat thought out before we set foot on this earth.

• What if I had promised other friends that I would be the friend to go through infertility battles so that we could all learn that joint prayers and fasting work?

• What if I had friends who had offered to be the ones to make grievous mistakes so that we could all learn to forgive and love?

• Are there friends that I promised before we were born that I would be a missionary to them and share the gospel? Were there friendships that included vows to introduce the truth to each other and help teach and lead each other to what was right?

• What if I had promised special friends that when they fell and made hard choices I would be there to help pick them back up and help them to start again?

• I wondered if I had friends who had promised to be examples to me of hard work, dedication and love so that I could get through hard times?

I know that we are given agency when we come to earth, but I also wonder if some of our decisions were somewhat planned out before we came, or if we might have been given a little preview of possibilities of what was to come. I wonder if we had a glimpse of the personality traits we would have in our mortal existence and talked about how we would handle certain situations?

This little glimpse or idea made me think of times when it might seem like too much to serve, or when it might be easier to just pass by the problem without taking care of it. It made me think of times I could reach out a helping hand and “pause to help and lift another”. I am grateful for the reminder that we just might have made promises to love our brothers and sisters a little more than we do on a daily basis.

Then again – maybe not….but I sure don’t want to get to “the other side” and realize that I had broken promises to people I loved the very most….

Great Quote

“Not long ago, one of my children said, ‘Dad, sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it.’ The answer I gave to her is the same as I would give to you if you have had similar feelings. Just do the very best you can each day. Do the basic things and, before you realize it, your life will be full of spiritual understanding that will confirm to you that your Heavenly Father loves you. When a person knows this, then life will be full of purpose and meaning, making balance easier to maintain.” --Elder M. Russell Ballard

LDS General Conference packets

Since LDS General Conference is coming up next weekend (April 3-4th, 2010) I thought it would be good to share some links with you for ideas of things that your kids can do during General Conference to stay entertained, yet learn as they go. These are also great to use for Family Home Evening leading up to General Conference, and really - even adults can use some of them to keep notes on and stay focused.

• The Church has put together a new General Conference website which includes a section with some downloadable packets: https://beta.lds.org/general-conference/children?locale=eng
• A little packet for younger children: http://crystalshares.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-conference-time.html
• This is a great list of Conference packs available on the internet. Packs for younger children, Senior Primary age and even for Teenagers: http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5851
• Even more ideas for Conference Weekend from Sugardoodle.net: http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3101

I'd love to hear what you do with your family during General Conference weekend too - any fun traditions, ways you stay focused? Leave a note in the comments - I'd love to hear!

A few thoughts on trials we go through in life

I just got done typing a letter to our missionary brother Coby. He's in California right now and has been struggling with some health issues. It's so hard to see because he's a great missionary and working hard. I hope that they can find a good solution with his medicine and things to help him be able to stay in the field and teach the people of California! This past weekend we had a family fast for him (as well as some other family members on my side of the family). I love the blessing and gift of fasting - especially fasting with a group purpose in mind.

In fact, when we (finally) were able to get pregnant with Gabe years ago I remember a special family member saying to me, "Great - now I can start eating again on Sundays." This sweet person had been fasting every Sunday for who knows how long that we would be able to bring children into our home. I think of his sweet faith and trust in the blessings of fasting and I am so grateful for his example to me! I know there were many over the years that joined with us in fasting for that and I am sure that part of the blessing of being a family is due to that.

Anyway - yesterday I was thinking a bit about fasting and turned to the hymn book and read a few hymns about it. These ones touched me:

#139 - "In Fasting We Approach Thee"

Verse 1:
In fasting we approach thee here,
And pray thy Spirit from above
Will cleanse our hearts, cast out our fear,
And fill our hunger with thy love.

Verse 4:
This fast, dear Father, sanctify
Our faith and trust in thee increase.
As we commune and testify,
May we be filled with joy and peace


#138 - "Bless Our Fast, We Pray"

Verse #3:
As witnesses, we gather here
To thank, and to attest
Of mercies and of miracles -
Oh, still our lives so bless!
Feed thou our souls, fill though our hearts,
And bless our fast, we pray
That we may feel thy presence here
And feat with thee today


The #1 thing I thought as I read those songs was the line about how the spirit can cleanse our hearts and cast out our fear. Isn't fear an interesting thing? It worries us, it holds us back and it gnaws at us and makes us feel like we're not good enough. I think that fear comes almost always from Satan. He wants to throw us off path and make us feel like we aren't good enough.

That led me to something else I was led to this week (a week filled with tender mercies sent from above). I was reading a book by Brad Wilcox this week about the Atonement (it's a GREAT book - "The Continuous Atonement"). I'm going to copy a little bit of it to share with you. This comes from Chapter 6 in the book:

I never can seem to escape the nagging thought, "If only I were better organized or if only I tried harder." Satan tempated Christ with the word if (see Mathew 4:3-11). He often comes to me with the words if only.

"Don't worry about if you have done enough," advises one well-meaning friend. "Rather, ask if what you have done is acceptable to God." The problem with such advice is that I can't figure out how anything less than my all could ever be acceptable. I am told the compaionship of the Spirit will be my assurance when I've done my part. However, if I start beating myself up for not being a better home teacher or helping more with family history, then I can drive the Spirit away pretty quickly.

In those anxious moments, the greatest comfort I have found is in knowing any effort is pleasing to God even if He and I both know it's not my all or my best. It may be far from an acceptable offering, but God accepts it nonetheless because ultimately He is more concerned with the offerer than the offering. Elder Gerald N. Lund wrote: "Remember that one of Sata's strategies, especially with good people, is to whisper in their ears: 'If you're not perfect, you are failing.'. This is one of his most effective deceptions....We should recognize that God is pleased with every effort we make - no matter how faltering - to better ourselves" ("Are We Expected to Achieve Perfection in This Life?" 207).

Often I am the first to acknowledge that my efforts are mediocre at best. But instead of feeling bad about not offering more, I recognize it's a step in the right direction. I remind myself that the word mediocre is from the Latin word mediocris, which means halfway up the mountain. It doesn't describe how far I can go. It just indicates how far I have come. If I am halfway up the mountain and on my way to the top, it is better than being at the bottom and refusing to try. No matter where I am on the mountain, the motivation to climb higher is found not in trying to impress God and Christ with my sacrifices, but in letting their sacrifices be more deeply impressed upon me. (pages 108-109. "The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox)

So maybe this was something that hit me with force and power and won't make as big of a difference to you.....but I think sometimes we all need a reminder that we are climbing upwards - and even if we don't think that we've done enough - Heavenly Father takes our offerings and is grateful for them. He never tells us we aren't enough. He never tells us we aren't doing good enough - when we hear those thoughts and feelings - it's Satan telling us that. We need to tune dang Santan out and listen to our Heavenly Father that tells us we're trying - and trying is what we are required to do.

I hope that these thoughts are something that will help one of you as they did me when I read them. I am so grateful for tender mercies when we are lead to reading something that touches us. I'm so grateful for those little prayers we mutter and are so miraculously answered. I know that my Heavenly Father answers my prayers. I know that my Savior is standing waiting to carry me through my trials and ready to ease the burdens I feel. I know that without a doubt.

That being said - He doesn't take away our trials......sometimes the blessings he has waiting for us are waiting AFTER the trial. I find this scripture evident of this:

Ether 12: 6

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that ^afaith is things which are ^bhoped for and ^cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no ^dwitness until after the ^etrial of your faith.

We will receive confirmation and reassurance AFTER our faith is tried....that's hard - but I know that if we endure and we continue to trust in our Heavenly Father's plan for us individually (because He has a plan specific for each of us) that we will find that confirmation and witness.

Ok - I'm probably starting to sound a bit preachy - but I shared some of these things with my brother-in-law Coby in his missionary letter today and I wanted to share them with someone else too - in case anyone else needed some of these thoughts I've been led to. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. He knows our hearts and He knows the best way to bless us with those righteous desires. It's not always the way we think He should bless us, or in the timeframe we thing would be best - but He DOES answer our prayers and pleadings.

I know when Cory and I wanted so desperately to have a family and start having children I was crushed when it didn't happen after several years. I felt that my desire was such a righteous and good desire. I wasn't asking for money, riches, fame - I was begging to be a MOM, for us to be parents! It was something we are commanded to do and I was just asking Heavenly Father to bless us with that chance. But our requests were denied for over 6 years. We were told through priesthood blessings, promptings and feelings that our time would come - but it wasn't yet. Wow that was hard! It was so hard to be told "not yet". But know what? I am SO grateful for those years. I am so grateful for the relationship I developed with my Heavenly Father. We are blessed with trials so we can come closer to our Heavenly Father. We are blessed with heartache so we can turn our pain over to the Savior and learn of the healing power of the atonement.....I hope you'll feel that peace and that reassurance that I KNOW is availble to us because of the gift of the atonement and our Heavenly Father's love.

I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have been blessed with and the faith and trust that we develop. I feel so blessed and grateful.

Book of Mormon Reading Chart

Ok - I have this awesome friend who is a fantastic graphic designer - Jessica Kopp. She just knows how to make things go together perfectly - I think she's one of my idols or something :). Anyway, she has created this awesome Book of Mormon reading chart that she posted on her blog. Check it out here. She has a download link and everything - so be sure to check it out. Mine is printing out on my computer as we speak. Thanks Jess!

A Child's Prayer

I have a favorite Primary song - "A Child's Prayer". I had been thinking about the song and the lyrics of the song recently. When the sweet Primary kids started singing it on Sunday I got goosebumps and tears filled my eyes - just as they have dozens of times as I've sung the song to my boys before bed at night.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the song the lyrics are set up for 2 people to sing them to each other - the first verse to be sung by a child and the 2nd verse to be sung by a parent.

Heavenly Father - are you really there?
And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away
but I feel it close around me as I pray
Heavenly Father - I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago,
'Suffer the children to come to me'
Father in prayer I'm coming now to thee


Pray, He is there
Speak, He is listening
You are His child
His love now surrounds you
He hears your prayers
He loves the children
Of such is the kingdom
The kingdom of heaven.


(And then you sing the 2 verses at the same time)

Anyway, I am continually touched by the song because I feel like I'm calling out, "Heavenly Father - are you listening to me?" and that He answers that He is there and He is listening. It really touches home to me a lot of the time.

Well yesterday we had an experience at our house with Gabe that showed me the faith and trust of children is so simple and sweet. He had been throwing some major fits and we had been having quite the power struggles through the whole day. He came out screaming and being so upset. I asked him to please go to his room and stop crying. Through his sobs he said, "Mom - I want to say a prayer to help me stop!" I told him to go ahead and do that in his room. Again through his sobs he said, "No Mom - I'm too upset - please say it for me."

So we snuggled up together to say a prayer. He sobbed and was quite upset even after our little prayer was over so I sent him back to his room to work on calming down and I headed into the kitchen to work on lunch. I thought he was in his room but then I heard his little voice whispering. I peeked around and saw him kneeling on the couch with his head burried into a pillow just pouring his little heart out to our Heavenly Father. He was talking to Heavenly Father about all the little things going on in his life and was literally pleading to Him that he would be able to calm down, that things would get easier for him through the day, and that Mom would quit telling him mean things - like the word "consequences".

This was one of the most powerful moments as a mother and as a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father I have been blessed with. I am grateful that I got a glimpse at his sweet spirit, his sweet faith, and his trust in Heavenly Father. He is a strong spirit and I know he will need that strength in these tough times. But I hope that Gabe will always know he can turn to his loving Heavenly Father, and that he can remind me also that I need to always turn to Him.

Thank you for that sweet and tender mercy!

Links for BYU Women's Conference

(I posted this on our ward Relief Society blog - thought I'd share the links with you all too. I will write more later about my AWESOME, life changing experiences at Women's Conference. Thanks Ashley and Tammy for sharing it with me!)

I mentioned in church today that I had gone to BYU Women's Conference this past week. It was an amazing experience that I wish I could have shared with each of you. Well - in a way, I can...If you go to these websites - you can enjoy stuff from the conference.

Information from sharing stations: http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/sharing_stations.cfm. These were neat booths that they had set up with ideas for family home evening, enrichment, yw lessons, Primary lessons, ways to improve yourself, help with visiting teaching, etc. There are handouts from each booth - some short and small, some quite involved. I was VERY inspired with the ideas from these. You can also view sharing stations from previous years.

Transcripts from past talks: http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/transcripts.cfm

They will also be eventually re-broadcasting some of the talks on television. You can find a schedule for that here: http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/broadcast.cfm

Lastly - you can find links to previous talks here, and you can listen to them over the internet : http://www.byub.org/womensconf/It's amazing to me the amount of information available to us - for FREE. Take advantage of it!